The House

The House

The warmth of flesh on the curve of my handle, was… unsettlingly delicious. I was sweating the second I saw her step onto my front lawn. No one has entered since they found out what happened. No one. She grabbed the knob to the front door, and there was no way she couldn’t feel me sweating. Her grip nearly slipped as she turned the knob to step inside.

Did she know? Had she read the news articles? Did anyone know she was here? Was her curiosity just as hungry as I was? Let’s find out.

“Hello?” She called out once the evergreen door had shut behind her. Her voice should have echoed according to physics, I know. I should have let it echo, but I was starved to the point of weakness. I swallowed her hello whole. I saw it written all over her face the second her voice didn’t echo. Stupid stupid stupid! Why did I do that? Ugh you idiot she's going to run!

“Hello?” She called again, but this time, I let it slide, her voice calling right back to her. Even more shock rose to her face. Stupid! Stupid! That’s even weirder! For the love of god, you blew your first chance in nearly a decade.

‘Cool,” the girl murmured to herself. Whew. That was way too close. No more hiccups. Not until she’s…well… secure. She walked down the red carpeted hallway, tracing her finger over the wooden trim running its way through the middle of the walls.

“Ouch.” She inhaled sharply, a splinter piercing her finger tip. She quickly drew her other hand up to pull the wooden protrusion from her skin, but I was quicker, digging my splinter deep enough to never see the light of day again. Oh my sweet young girl. Such a good girl you are. Such a good girl you will be for me.

I see her panic as the once clear and visible wooden annoyance sinks into her skin with unnatural speed. The color fades from her face quickly as she turns to face the door. She watches as I lock the lock. Nice and slow.

I can take my time now.

I’ve thought about this night after night, carefully cultivating a more sustainable plan. I could easily smash her between my heavy walls like the family I had devoured all those years ago, but I had learned from my mistakes. I had driven everyone away from me. I had doomed myself to starve by outrightly using my structure to kill, when I should have been smarter. I was thinking small. It’s not what I can use to feed myself. It’s who I can use.

I am never going to starve again.

“Let me out!” she cried, her eyes wide, as her hope began draining from her body.

“No, no.” I thought, smiling to myself, “Let me in.”